Bargain Bites: Pho Pasta

The stretch of Alameda Avenue between South Broadway and Downing Street traditionally hasn’t been a haven of foodiness. Greasy spoons, pizza joints, and chains were the standards—until recently.

Anchored by the inventive farm-to table cuisine of Olav Peterson’s Bittersweet, these blocks are swiftly transforming. My new fave? Pho Pasta. The menu is a hodgepodge of traditional Vietnamese dishes, such as the signature pho, satays, and spring rolls, as well as dim sum, pasta, and random appetizers—like eggplant Parmesan.

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But I’m partial to the spicy central pho, with either chicken or rare beef. At $6-$8, it’s savory and delicious and is hearty enough for more than one meal, with its assorted spices and veggies and hefty helping of meaty broth. To top it off, order a $1 draft beer—all day, every day.